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7:59 PM: An Occupy SF protester was taken to a hospital during a standoff between officers and demonstrators at Justin Herman Plaza tonight.
The man, who identified himself as Chris (according to Steve Rhodes his full name is Chris Jones), was one of three men who were handcuffed at tonight’s demonstration.
Chris was lying face down and visibly shaking and fellow protesters called for medical assistance.
According to protesters, it was around a half hour before emergency crews responded.
Emergency responders arrived at around 7:30 p.m. and were cheered on by the crowd as they lifted Chris onto a gurney and took him to get medical treatment.
The woman who ran “mic check” at tonight’s general assembly meeting said that Chris was conscious when they took him away.
She also noted that Supervisor Eric Mar was on his way to the demonstration to lend support to the movement.
One tent has been pitched at Justin Herman Plaza tonight and around three-dozen protesters are surrounding the tent, which was pitched on the bocce ball courts at the plaza. The tent is propping up a sign that reads, “You don’t need a weatherman to see which way the wind blows.”
Officers wearing helmets and holding batons are surrounding the tent and protesters.
A second group of officers have created a perimeter around the plaza and hundreds of demonstrators have gathered beyond the police line.
The crowd gathered at the plaza earlier this evening for a general assembly meeting after a day of protests in response to a police raid of the Occupy SF encampment early this morning.
The protesters gathered tonight to discuss the future of the movement, according to a protester named Ryan.
“We’ve peacefully retaken the plaza,” Ryan said earlier this evening. “It’s pretty beautiful.”
Ryan said the demonstrators are considering what steps to take now after the encampment was dismantled this morning.
“We’re moving into phase two, the next step of our movement,” Ryan said.
At around 6:30 p.m., officers began issuing orders for dispersal and moved in on the crowd, according to Ryan.
Police arrested at least two protesters during demonstrations this afternoon and around 85 people were arrested during the raid this morning.
7:10 PM: One tent has been pitched at Justin Herman Plaza tonight and officers in riot gear are facing off with Occupy SF protesters after disrupting the group’s general assembly meeting.
Around three-dozen protesters are surrounding the tent, which was pitched on the bocce ball courts at the plaza. The tent is propping up a sign that reads, “You don’t need a weatherman to see which way the wind blows.”
Officers wearing helmets and holding batons are surrounding the tent and protesters.
A second group of officers have created a perimeter around the plaza and hundreds of demonstrators have gathered beyond the police line.
According to an Appeal tipster, “Police have closed off 1 block of Montgomery between Sacramento and California, as of 6:45.” According to SFist, this is due to a “Bomb Scare at Montgomery and Sacramento,” and appears to be unrelated to the protest.
The crowd gathered at the plaza earlier this evening for a general assembly meeting after a day of protests in response to a police raid of the Occupy SF encampment early this morning.
The protesters gathered tonight to discuss the future of the movement, according to a protester named Ryan.
“We’ve peacefully retaken the plaza,” Ryan said earlier this evening. “It’s pretty beautiful.”
Ryan said the demonstrators are considering what steps to take now after the encampment was dismantled this morning.
“We’re moving into phase two, the next step of our movement,” Ryan said.
At around 6:30 p.m., officers began issuing orders for dispersal and moved in on the crowd, according to Ryan.
Police arrested at least two protesters during demonstrations this afternoon and around 85 people were arrested during the raid this morning.
6:46 PM: Officers in riot gear are facing off with Occupy SF protesters in Justin Herman Plaza tonight.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the plaza earlier this evening for a general assembly meeting after a day of protests in response to a police raid of the Occupy SF encampment early this morning.
The protesters have gathered tonight to discuss the future of the movement, according to a protester named Ryan.
“We’ve peacefully retaken the plaza,” Ryan said earlier this evening. “It’s pretty beautiful.”
Ryan said the demonstrators are considering what steps to take now after the encampment was dismantled this morning.
“We’re moving into phase two, the next step of our movement,” Ryan said.
At around 6:30 p.m., officers began issuing orders for dispersal, according to Ryan.
Police arrested at least two protesters during demonstrations this afternoon and around 85 people were arrested during the raid this morning.
4:43 PM: A few dozen protesters were still milling around on the sidewalk outside the Federal Reserve building in San Francisco late this afternoon after blocking Market Street and trying to retake the site of their former encampment at Justin Herman Plaza earlier today.
Around 70 protesters gathered in front of the Federal Reserve building at 101 Market St. at noon to speak out against the police raid of the Occupy SF encampment at the plaza early this morning.
Police moved in to the camp shortly after 1 a.m., dismantling tents, confiscating property and making arrests. Police reported around 70 arrests this morning but updated that number to 85 this afternoon.
This afternoon, dozens of protesters blocked Market Street then marched to the plaza, where they tried to re-enter the site of the former encampment.
Police dressed in riot gear blocked them, and a dwindling group of protesters then returned to Market Street, where they blocked lanes and ate pizza.
As of 4 p.m. the protesters had moved back onto the sidewalk and about 40 of them were milling about.
Police arrested at least two people–a man and a woman. The woman was taken away by ambulance for unexplained reasons after briefly being placed in the back of a police van.
Another rally is planned for 6 p.m. today at Justin Herman Plaza.
Mayor Ed Lee released a statement this morning saying, “I have made it clear to protesters that overnight camping at Justin Herman Plaza and on Market Street is not a sustainable or safe environment for protesters, the general public or city staff.”
Lee said the city “took a measured and balanced approach and negotiated with Occupy leadership in good faith … but unfortunately, communication with the liaison team designated by Occupy SF deteriorated to a point where it was clear no progress could be made.
The charges for the 85 people arrested this morning include violations of the park code and throwing bottles at officers. Two people were arrested on suspicion of assaulting officers with a deadly weapon, police spokesman Officer Carlos Manfredi said.
Manfredi said one protester hit an officer with a metal chair, breaking the visor off the officer’s helmet. Another officer was hit with a garbage can. Neither officer’s injuries are life-threatening.
The arrests were made at three different locations and times during the police raid. Thirty-eight people were arrested at Justin Hermann Plaza; another 25 were arrested at Market and Steuart streets; and 22 more were arrested at 1 Market St., Manfredi said.
Scott Morris/Patricia Decker, Bay City News
2:59 PM: After circling Justin Herman Plaza and attempting to retake the site of their former encampment, Occupy SF protesters marched back to the Federal Reserve building and blocked Market Street while they ate pizza.
Police blocked protesters from re-entering the site of the former encampment at the plaza this afternoon, scrambling to keep up with them as they tried to enter the site from various angles.
About 40 protesters marched back to the Federal Reserve building at 101 Market Street around 2 p.m. The number of protesters appeared to have dwindled since about 70 demonstrators gathered outside the building for a noon rally.
Traffic on Market Street has been blocked by the ongoing demonstration. Police were standing by near the intersection of Market and Drumm streets.
The protest is in response to an overnight raid in which police cleared out the Occupy SF encampment at Justin Herman Plaza. During the raid, which began shortly after 1 a.m., police confiscated tents and other items and arrested about 70 people.
Two were booked into jail on suspicion of felony assault on a police officer, and the rest were cited for illegal camping in the park after hours, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.
The Department of Public Works is allowing those whose belongings were confiscated to pick up the items–except for tents–this afternoon at 2323 Cesar Chavez St.
1:52 PM: Occupy SF protesters are attempting to re-enter the site of their former encampment at Justin Herman Plaza but are being blocked by riot police and mounted officers.
After trying to enter the north side of the site shortly after 1 p.m., protesters were blocked by police. Demonstrators then marched to the Ferry Building, then doubled back to attempt to re-enter the site from the south.
Riot poliice cleared out the Occupy SF encampment at Justin Herman Plaza.
They blocked part of Market Street near Drumm Street around 12:30 p.m. chanting “Whose streets? Our streets!”
Police presence has been growing since the demonstration began, and by around 1:30 p.m. at least 50 officers were on the scene, including six mounted officers and seven on motorcycles.
Two were booked into jail on suspicion of felony assault on a police officer, and the rest were cited for illegal camping in the park after hours, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.
12:49 PM: Protesters gathered outside the Federal Reserve building at 101 Market St. at noon Wednesday to rally against an overnight raid in which police cleared out the Occupy SF encampment at Justin Herman Plaza.
At about 12:30 p.m., the protesters moved into the middle of Market Street near Drumm Street, blocking part of the roadway and chanting “Whose streets? Our streets!”
About a dozen police officers were standing by with helmets at their sides, and motorcycle officers were arriving at the scene.
Police raided the camp early this morning, confiscating tents and other items and arresting about 70 people.
Two were booked into jail on suspicion of felony assault on a police officer, and the rest were cited for illegal camping in the park after hours, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.
Patricia Decker, Bay City News
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